Fire safety in the summer months
2026-07-29
As the weather gets warmer, we wanted to share a few tips on how you can safely enjoy your outdoor spaces this summer.
Our Fire Safety Team are here to help and are pleased to be able to share best practice when it comes to a few key areas.
Hot and dry conditions can make fires spread very quickly, putting homes, neighbours, and green spaces at risk.
In Norfolk, extreme heat and wildfires have already caused serious damage in recent years, including the loss of homes and harm to the countryside and wildlife.
We also know that garden fires have affected local properties.
Please help keep yourself and others safe by following this advice during hot and dry weather:
• Do not leave bottles, glass, or other reflective items on grass or in gardens, as they can contribute to fires in strong sunlight.
• Do not use BBQs in parks, fields, open grassland, or wooded areas.
• If you are using a disposable BBQ, make sure it is raised off the ground and fully cooled before disposal.
• Take extra care when using BBQs, fire pits, or bonfires near homes, sheds, fences, dry grass, or open land.
• Do not use charcoal BBQs, fire pits, or patio heaters on balconies.
By taking these simple precautions, you can help protect your home, your neighbours, and your community.
Smoking safety in your home
Fires caused by smoking remain one of the biggest causes of accidental fire deaths in the home.
Please remember:
• Do not drop cigarettes or matches onto dry grass, soil, or other outdoor areas.
• Make sure cigarettes are fully out before throwing them away.
• Never throw cigarettes from car windows, as they can easily start roadside fires.
• Make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every floor of your home and test it regularly.
• Always use a proper ashtray that will not tip over.
• Check that cigarette ends, cigars, or pipe tobacco are fully extinguished before disposal.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Never empty ash into a waste bin indoors.
• Do not smoke if you feel sleepy, if you have been drinking alcohol, or taking medication that makes you drowsy.
• Never leave a lit cigarette, cigar, or pipe unattended.
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.